This blog is about life on board our narrowboat Sanity Again, cruising the inland waterways of the UK (mainly in the spring, summer and autumn) and living in a marina in the winter. It's the way I choose to write it; if you don't like it, there are many other boating blogs.

Thursday, 10 September 2015

Tiring but absorbing

We set off just before eight for the walk up to Lyme Park and got there at around half past. Our timing proved to be spot on; there was a bit of a queue ahead of us, but nothing off-putting and by half nine, the official opening time, we were being assessed as to which expert to see.

This proved to be Andy McConnell, a manic character who was very good value for money, not that we'd paid any money. He encouraged all those who were at his table to put their glass out together and then delivered about ninety minutes of tuition and humour on the subject of glass making, the social history of glass usage and anything else that occurred to him.

What was particularly pleasing was that he was just as interested and interesting about the items that were of no special monetary value but which illustrated the points he was making. An example of this was the way glass pieces were often bought by working class women, after a whip round for one of their number who was getting married.

Having said that, he was very taken with Sheila's Lalique rose bowl and, indeed, went off with it twice to try to persuade Eric Knowles to do a piece to camera about it, but it was not to be. At least that meant that we could then get away rather than hanging about; we were back at the yard by twelve and ate our picnic lunch in the bungalow garden rather than the purlieus of Lyme Park; more plebeian but probably better company.

After lunch, the good news was that Sanity Again was ready to come out of the paint shed into the sun. As it is forecast to be a fine afternoon and evening, it means that the final coat of paint will harden off well before the roof furniture is replaced. Johnny put the mushrooms and the slide back and there followed another session of Braidbar shuffling.

Cala is still in the yard with us; there is a bit more to do to her before she leaves tomorrow. We'll be here over the weekend, it looks like, which is just as well as we have a fair bit of washing and polishing to do to get the sides of the boat looking as good as our nice shiny roof. When it's all done, I'll take some photos of her in all her new found glory.

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Our eBooks

We've now written four e-books. We have been selling them via Amazon, but we've taken the decision to avoid benefitting from Amazon's tax avoidance strategies. Instead, if you would like a copy of any of these, please email me using the link below, saying which ereader you use. I'll send you a copy in return for a donation to a waterways or cancer charity of your choice.

Building Sanity Again is an account of just that, based on the blog I did whilst it was all going on and with an evaluative chapter added.

A Boater's Commonplace Book is Sheila's compilation of answers to the questions we've been asked during our time as liveaboard boaters such as "Is it cold in the winter?" and "How far have you been?"

Tales from the Towpath is another of Sheila's compilations, this time of all the funny things that have happened to us on the waterways over the last 35 years plus, together with some stories we've only heard about.

Practically Cooking on Board is my cookbook, using ingredients and equipment reasonably readily available to the boater. No sous vide or liquid nitrogen here!

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Cruising plan: Spring and Summer 2017

After a winter in the marina, we plan to set off again at the beginning of April, heading for Stourport, the Severn and then the Droitwich. Then we'll make our way back via Tardebigge, Lapworth and Hatton to arrive at Crick in good time for the Show.

After that, we may well head back north to the Llangollen, aiming to arrive at Poynton in late August for the Owners' Weekend and Open Day.